my first and only love
by lucky charm emmy
Summary: ONESHOT...edward went off to college leaving his childhood sweetheart pining over him...now hes back and bella's...in love with him and engaged to another...


Bella rested her head against the cool marble tabletop, trying her best to control her rapid breathing. There was no way she was letting anyone else know what just happened. The gossip and controversies were something she just couldn't handle right now. Having made out with the masters' son was enough of a problem for her without others jabbering about it.

And the worst part was that he wasn't just the masters' son, he was also her bestest friend in the whole world. That is, before he left for college and her life changed forever.

Being a maid's daughter never bothered her-or him-or their friendship. Bella still remembered the first day she came to the mansion.

Bella walked in through the huge gates and gaped at the magnificent house in front of her. Mama called it a 'mansion'. She walked along the lawns aimlessly. Mama had already explained to her that she would not be around as she had to work. But Bella could roam around all she liked provided she kept out of trouble. Wondering whether there were any kids her age in this 'mansion', Bella entered the small garden at the back.

It was beautiful! There was a tiny gazebo and a small pebbled path curved around it. Along the wall, a curtain of vines grew and a bed of roses circled the entire garden. Bella knew that this was going to be her favorite part of the house.

"Hey! Who are you?"

Bella turned around to face a boy, about her age looking at her curiously. So there were kids her age! Good, she would have someone to play with.

She held out her hand to him. "Hello. I'm Bella. And you?"

He shook her hand. "I'm Edward. What are you doing here?"

"My mama works here-"

"So you're a maid's daughter? I never knew any of the maids had kids..."

"Well, she's new..."

"That explains it. Well, it'll be nice to have a friend around here. It's incredibly dull to wander around alone you know."

Bella stared at him. The boy had a really good vocabulary.

"Are there no other kids?"

"No. It's just the two of us now."

"Oh."

Edward smirked. "So be careful. I won't let go of you now."

And he kept his word. Since that day, the pair was inseparable. With all the free time and the huge mansion to explore, Bella and Edward did everything together. He'd even requested his mother to give her a room right next to his and with a connecting door so that they could spend more time together.

The mistress compiled readily as she was exceptionally fond of her sons little friend and made up for her mothers absence more often than not. It wasn't that Bella minded, her mother wasn't much of one anyways- giving birth out of wedlock, she didn't care much for her daughter and took her on as a mere responsibility. So, when she was shifted to another house as a maid, she didn't think twice about accepting the mistress' request to let Bella stay.

The problems started as Bella reached puberty. She was no longer just a kid and had to start helping in al the household chores. She was a maid's daughter after all. But the mistress made sure she wasn't burdened much. But what really bothered her was the ever growing closeness between the two.

Edward often used to come into her room at night, and when the maid was sent to awake him, he was found in Bella's bed, both of them curled around each other. The mistress was worried about him getting too close to Bella physically. She did not want ant teenage pregnancies in her household.

But her worries did not materialize as Edward was very careful when with Bella. He knew what could happen if he got too close to her and a small part of him was afraid of what might happen if she rejected him. Though everyone knew how much Bella loved him. She wouldn't hear a word against him and the day he announced that he was going off to college, she ran off to their garden and cried her heart out just so he wouldn't see. But she couldn't hide everything from him either. That night Edward came into her room and...

Bella looked in the mirror. Her eyes were still a bit puffy from crying. She had to fix it before Edward came. But before she could even turn around, the connecting door opened.

"Why the hell did you leave?"

Bella shuddered. She'd never seen him so angry before. When she failed to answer, he crossed the room in two strides and grabbed her by the shoulders, lifting her from the ground.

"Answer me."

"I- I- couldn't s-stay any l-l-longer." She stammered as he scrutinized her face

"Have you been crying?"

"No..." she lied, hoping he wouldn't guess. But Edward wasn't one to be fooled easily. He recognized the puffy eyes and the red rims around them. His tone softened immediately as he lowered her and wrapped his arms around her trembling figure.

"What's wrong Bella?" he whispered gently.

Bella trembled and the tears started to fall once again. Sensing them, Edward hugged her tighter and placed a kiss on her head.

"Ssshhh..." he lifted her in his arms and carried her to her bed.

Seating her on the soft mattress, he hugged her once again till she called down and managed to form a coherent sentence.

"You're leaving..."

"So?"

"So? So you'll be gone and then nothing will remain the same! You'll come back with a pretty girlfriend who you'll marry and have kids with and I'll remain here till I grow an old maid and die!"

Edward laughed at this, annoying her even more.

"There's nothing funny in this Edward Cullen." She glared as he continued to roll around laughing.

Edward tried his best to control his laughter and sat up gasping, "Of course its funny doof! Why do you think that I'll come back with someone else?"

"'cuz that's what always happens in movies..." she mumbled

Edward chuckled and moved her hair out of her face.

"There's no way I'm going to forget you Bella."

She looked at him expectantly.

"Really?"

"Yep."

His fingers curled around her neck and he pulled her closer. He wasn't afraid anymore...he knew she loved him.

Their lips were just a whisper apart when he said, "I love you." And pressed his lips to hers...

Edward left the next day, promising nothing would change but she knew it wouldn't end that way. In the next three years, she worked as a real maid would in the mansion and though the mistress continued doting on her, Bella knew she'd never let things continue between her and Edward. And she proved it by getting her engaged to one of her 'lower' friends' son.

Bella realized things would never be the same the day mistress called her to her room.

Bella tapped on the door quietly and heard the mistress permit her enter.

"You called ma'am?" Bella whispered. She didn't think she'd be able to trust her voice anymore and so, the lesser she spoke, the better.

"Yes Bella. I think you know what I've called you here for, don't you?"

"Yes."

"So what do you think of Micheal?"

"He's a proper gentleman ma'am but-"

"Do you have a problem with him?" the mistress' stern tone scared Bella and she tried to speak as fast as she could.

"n-no ma'am b-b-but I don't th-think I'm ready for marriage j-just yet."

The mistress smiled and her voice grew gentler.

"Then how about we just have you engaged Bella? The wedding can take place whenever you feel ready for the commitment."

Bella desperately wanted to scream out her denial. To say how much she loved Edward and how he was the only one she would ever marry no matter how long she'd have to wait for him. But the mistress had none too subtly reminded her, the conditions in which she'd lived in for the past years and that this was the only way to repay the 'debt' of having taken care of her and provided a roof over her head when no one cared for her. There was no way she could ever deny this proposal and she quietly replied in the affirmative to the arrangement not bothering how greatly it ripped her heart to a million pieces.

The engagement was carried out without pomp and further ado. Michael arrived at the mansion that very evening and put the ring in her finger in the presence of his mother and the mistress. That evening was the fist time Bella wished Edward never return.

But he had. And she had to hide from him for as long as he stayed in the mansion. Bella was having a nightmare trying to keep him from knowing that his childhood sweetheart was still there.

The mistress had told him that she'd left the mansion to work someplace else and though she knew he wouldn't recognize her even if he did see her, she kept jumping behind pillars and hiding behind curtains whenever he came around.

But she couldn't hide forever... and that was proved tonight when she was cleaning the upstairs bedroom- her old room.

Bella shook the bedcovers and fluffed the pillows one last time before turning to leave. And just then, she heard him. Right behind her.

Trembling slightly, Bella turned around to face a pair of sparkling emerald eyes and she momentarily forgot to breathe. Her Edward might've been handsome when they were kids but his looks were nothing in comparison to what he looked like now.

Taut muscles were clearly visible through the pale blue shirt he wore. He seemed to have grown quite a bit in the years, towering her by almost a head. His untidy bronze hair shone in the lamplight and Bella had to do all she could to keep herself from running her fingers through those beautiful locks. He was staring at her with an expression of mixed fury and sorrow and confusion.

Hastily lowering her gaze, she attempted to walk past him, fervently praying that he hadn't recognized her.

But too late, his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, spinning her around so that her head was resting on his chest. One hand snaked around her waist while the other firmly held her wrist.

Bella gasped audibly at her new position and attempted to move but his grip was too strong...another attempt to escape resulted in him pushing her against the wall and barring any movement by pinning down her wrists with one hand.

"Just how long did you think you could hide from me?" his voice was barely a whisper but she heard it clearly and pretended not to understand his meaning.

"I' sorry Ed-uh-master...I don't know what you're talking about."

His grip tightened and he spoke through gritted teeth in an obvious effort to control his frustration... "You know exactly what I'm talking about Bella...stop lying to me."

"B-Bella? You must have mistaken me for another maid master...m-my name is...A-Am-Amelia..."

"What makes you think I'm a fool Bella? You think I wouldn't be able to recognize you after all these years? Hell! I've been bloody finding out ways to corner you these past three days and demand an explanation as to why you've been avoiding me like a rash all this time?"

Bella knew she couldn't lie any longer...especially not with him so close to her. His every move...every breath made her want him even more. And she knew that no matter how much she lied...she couldn't hide her body's response to his mere presence.

Slowly, she lowered her gaze and explained the whole story of the past three years as quickly as possible.

Only when she was done talking did she lift her eyes to meet his and wasn't the least bit surprised to see the rage and disgust bubbling in them.

"My mother did that?"

"Yes" was all that she managed to whisper

Edward placed his thumb under her chin and peered at her.

"How many tines has that bastard kissed you?"

Bella stared at him. This was definitely not the first question she'd expected from him...

"Uh...not once..." she answered truthfully

Edward looked doubtful "how is that possible? You've been engaged for well over a year now."

"Yes...but I never let him kiss me...I didn't like the idea of anyone but you even so much as touching me." She admitted in a low voice

Edward gave her his infamous smile. The one that said he was up to something. The warning bells in Bella's mind started ringing and she tried to escape his grip once again.

"Edward..." she started just as he traced his finger along her collarbone sending shivers through her. "What are you doing?"

His smile grew wider watching her reaction..."Just wondering..." he said, his fingers now moving lower...his lips replacing where his fingers had been.

Her breaths were coming in short gasps and she barely managed to say... "Wondering what?"

"Just what you meant by someone touching you. Did you mean me touching you like this?" he was now nibbling her earlobe sending delicious jets of fire to her belly.

"Mmm..." was all that she could manage and it certainly seemed to satisfy him as he lifted her and placing her on the bed, climbed on top of her and started kissing every part of her that he could.

It took a lot of self control not to lose her senses with the things he was doing to her but when he finally reached her lips, she lost all ability of forming any coherent though, instead focusing on how perfect the kiss was...

And how she'd gotten back her first and only love...


End file.
